OG Essential Masterclass Workshop
25 March - 1 April 2025 at Aiyanar Dive Resort, Anilao, Philippines
with Michael AW, Renee Capozola and Mathieu Meur
‘A comprehensive and engaging event for uw photographers designed to fast-track their digital photographic skills.’
Join us for this 7 night workshop structured to take your underwater skills to the next level.
From USD 2688 - per person (deluxe room, twin share). ( Discount for OG members applies)
The Ocean Geographic Essential Photo Masterclass program is designed to fast-track your digital photographic skill, empowering you with techniques to produce artistically pleasing and technically correct images. The seven nights/eight-day program is challenging and rewarding; your results are measurable by the quality of your graduation portfolio. The workshop includes lesson modules on the techniques of successful underwater photography, from the basics of lighting to advanced composition and essential elements of post-editing using various tested software to create multi-media presentations.
Conceived by the authors of the bestselling ‘Essential Guide to Digital Photography', the course syllabus is structured for you to take your underwater photographic skills to the next level. With a modular course structure, participants will be able to achieve certification and acquire skills that are far beyond just taking a technically correct photograph. The emphasis is to help aspiring photographers compose and paint a picture with a camera, using both natural and artificial lighting. Catering for both Novice and Advanced shooters (Compact, Mirrorless and DSLR), there are two course syllabuses to choose from: the Absolute Essentials and Advanced Essentials. Conducted concurrently, the program schedule allows for maximum shooting time, classroom hours, and formal and informal critique sessions to ensure participants with essential techniques to acquire publishable images.
Principal modules include Photographic Etiquette & Conservation issues, Exposure Techniques, Beyond Basic Techniques, Macro / Wide Angle Techniques, Blackwater techniques, Above & Below Techniques, Elements to Successful Composition, working with models, and advanced lighting Techniques to Post Processing – Photoshop techniques. Though the program schedule allows for maximum shooting time, the lesson modules, and formal and informal critique sessions provide participants with essential techniques to acquire publishable images.
Workshop Venue - Aiyanar Beach & Dive Resort;
A boutique-style resort established by passionate underwater photographers so you can expect a well-appointed camera room with individual workstations and a clean and sleek dive centre where maintained, private boats are ready to send us to some of the most productive photographic dive sites in the world! This little piece of paradise is ideally situated and has been designed with both top-class quality and the utmost sympathy for the sloping forest backdrop. This is undoubtedly the ‘go to’ resort in the area, replete with the type of accommodation and facilities you would expect from a five-star resort. You can expect gourmet meals with a very comfortable bed.
Our Underwater Studio: right at the foreshore of Aiyanar at Anilao, arguably harbouring some of the top dive sites in the Philippines for wide angle, macro and blackwater critters. The amazing array of critters frequently encountered include boxer crabs, frogfishes, harlequin shrimps, blue ring octopus, pygmy sea horses, tiger shrimps, zebra crabs, mimic octopus, and nudibranch overload – just about anything is possible! Anilao also harbours some big secrets – a luscious reef with massive sponges, soft corals and hard coral meadows. Sites are researched thoroughly to ensure dives are conducted at the optimum time.
The Workshop Package
18 boat dives**, Classroom Workshop & Critique session 12 formal classroom hours
8-day / 7-night twin share accommodation, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, transfers*, welcome and award ceremony BBQ. Workshop T-shirt, Essential Masterclass Digital Underwater photography guide, course notes, Ocean Geographic Masterclass Certificate. Dive holiday prizes for Best Participant plus Ocean Geographic E-edition one-year membership for all participants.
Deluxe Suite USD2688 p/p: twin share, single supplement add USD 500
OG Members less $200
DEPOSIT IS $800
*Group transfer is provided on Day 1 to the resort and on Day 8 back to Manila Airport.
At any other time, additional charges apply.
**3 days with 3-day dives and 3 days with 2-day dives and 1 blackwater dive
Special offers
SEACAM Housing package
The Workshop Instructors: this is your chance to learn from the Masters from Ocean Geographic with a proven track record in underwater photography. They are published authors, editorial contributors, competition awards winners and jury members as well in major underwater photographic competitions.
Michael AW: author of Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography, 4 times award winner Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, 11 times winner at the World Festival of Underwater Pictures, 3 times winner of Nikon International Photographic competition.
Renee Capozzola : Renee is a conservation oriented underwater photographer who has received over 60 international accolades, including “Underwater Photographer of the Year” through UPY 2021
Mathieu Meur: author of Essential Guide to Digital Underwater Photography, author of PADI Digital Underwater Photographer distinctive specialty, jury member - CMAS World Championship of Underwater Photography
To express interest or if you need further information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
If you are ready to book please go to booking link
NB. Booking is not confirmed until deposit is paid. Payment details for payment of deposit will be provided once booking is completed. Booking username and password is not the same as your OG username and password. If you are new trip client you can leave the existing client login blank and complete the booking . If you are an existing trip client please email us using link below and we will book you in
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This is your chance to learn from practicing Masters with proven track records.
All are published authors, editorial contributors, competition award winners, as well as jury members in major underwater photographic competitions.
Program
Day 1: arrival, welcome and intro session and welcome dinner
*participants must arrive at Manila International Airport by 1330 hrs
Evening: Welcome and workshop briefing
Day 2:
AM: two-morning dives and lesson module
PM: Critique workshop, lesson module and one-afternoon dive
Evening: after dinner – One on one critique session
Day 3
AM: two-morning dives and lesson module
PM: Critique workshop, lesson module and one on one critique session
Evening: after dinner – blackwater dive on one critique session
Day 4:
AM: two-morning dives and lesson module
PM: Critique workshop, lesson module and one on one critique session
Evening: after dinner – blackwater dive on one critique session
Day 5:
AM: two-morning dives and lesson module
PM: Critique workshop, lesson module and one on one critique session
Evening: after dinner – blackwater dive on one critique session
Day 6:
AM: two-morning dives and lesson module
PM: Critique workshop, lesson module and one-afternoon dive
Evening: after dinner – One on one critique session
Day 7:
AM: two-morning dives and critique session
PM: Submission of Graduation portfolio and critique – afternoon dive
Evening: Graduation ceremony and dinner
Day 8
8 am: check out to the airport or optional activities.
